I'll Prove It
by Usa
Summary: Co-written with Emiri... Usagi's friends pick on her for being a klutz and late all the time. How can she prove she's the Senshi they hope she is?
1. Default Chapter

Title: I'll Prove It  
Rating: R  
Authors: Usa (Usako0@aol.com) and Emiri (bunny_s_@hotmail.com)  
Disclaimers: All characters belong to Takeuchi Naoko, TOEI Animations, and Bandai Entertainment.  
  
***********  
  
  
"I can't believe we almost let them get away last night," Rei complained to Makoto. "If baka Usagi hadn't gotten there so late..."  
  
Makoto looked up, eyes wide. Behind Rei, stood Usagi. "Ano..."  
  
"Ne?  
  
"I told you, Rei-chan! My grandmother was in the hospital and we were there!" Usagi explained. "It wasn't like I could ask the youma to attack closer to me!"  
  
Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. She was tired of being treated so horribly by Rei. The others too, but none of them were as bad as the Miko.   
  
"Well, if you were busy, you could've told us not to call you, and we could've finished it off on our own."  
  
Makoto tried to get Rei to shut up by stepping on her foot under the table. She could see the pain in Usagi's eyes. "It's all right, Usagi-chan, just let us know next time."  
  
"Un..."  
  
"Yeowch! What was that for?"  
  
"Rei-chan..." Makoto started, only to look up and see Usagi walking away.   
  
"Nani?" Rei narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Usagi-chan, matte!" Usagi turned to face her, tears now streaming down her face. Makoto was too shocked to say anything more. Rei's comments had never reduced her to tears before.  
  
Rei felt a twinge. "Usagi-chan, gomen. It's not your fault you're inherently late for everything."  
  
"Rei-chan, if that's an apology, I'd hate to hear you say something mean," Usagi bit off, leaving without another word.  
  
"..." Rei didn't know what to say to that. Makoto stifled a giggle. A speechless Rei was rather amusing. "What's so funny?" Rei glared at Makoto.  
  
"Watching you standing there like a fish with it's mouth open would make anyone laugh!"  
  
"Well, I was trying to be nice, and she just walked away."  
  
"Nice?" Makoto asked, shaking her head. "Rei-chan, you were picking on her again. Usagi-chan is very good about holding her feelings in and today you were the straw that broke the camel's back!"  
  
"Well, I didn't mean anything by it, you know that."  
  
"I know, but she doesn't." The brunette sighed. "Come on, it's late, we'd better go home and get some sleep."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. I've gotta be up at 4 AM for meditations."  
  
**************  
  
Usagi slowly walked past the Juuban National Bank. She new Rei was joking, but her rudeness had gotten deep into Usagi's soul. It hurt her so much that the girl she regarded as her best friend didn't believe in her. Usagi vowed to prove it to her, as well as her other friends. Her head snapped up at the sound of breaking glass.  
  
Looking in the windows of the bank, she saw two black figures sneaking around... and they weren't bankers!  
  
*Hrm... this could be my chance! I can be just like Sailor V...* With a nod, Usagi went into the alley and transformed. "Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"  
  
**  
  
"Give us the cash and nobody gets hurt!"  
  
"And you, clean out that vault!"  
  
"I don't think so!"  
  
"Who's there?!"  
  
The two looked towards the front and saw a young girl with pigtails and a very short skirt. "I am the pretty suited soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon! Tsukini kawatte, oshiokyo!"  
  
"Listen, girlie, you picked the wrong time to get some money for candy."  
  
"I'm not here for money, I'm here to subdue you evil men and turn you in to the police! Now drop that gun, I'm not afraid to use this!" Sailor Moon held her tiara, which was now in the shape of a discus, in her hand.  
  
"Ooh, she's gonna hit us with a Frisbee."  
  
Noticing that they weren't going to take her seriously, Moon aimed for the guy holding the gun. "Moon Tiara Action!" she cried. The tiara sailed through the air, sliced the gun in two and returned to her waiting hand. Before they could recover from the shock, she barreled towards them. "Sailor Kick!"  
  
The men were too slow in moving out of the way, and they both got heelprints in their forehead.  
  
Moon grinned with satisfaction, as the two men were out cold. She looked at the teller, who was staring at her in shock. "Daijobu?"  
  
"Ha--hai..."  
  
"Yokatte!" she said with a smile.   
  
Police sirens were going off and Sailor Moon did not want to sit around for questioning. Besides, she had a Senshi meeting to attend. "I've got to go, Sayonara!"  
  
"Arigatou! Demo, who are you?"  
  
"A friend." With that, she leapt away. 


	2. 2

***********  
I'll Prove It  
Part 2  
By Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
***********  
  
  
"You wanted to ask me something, Usagi-chan?" Minako asked her friend as they sat down to milkshakes inside Crown.  
  
Usagi nodded. "We've been friends a long time, and I've always wondered about your time in England. Could you tell me about it?"  
  
"Well, what all do you want to know?"  
  
"How you fought, what kind of people you fought. How did you strike fear into their hearts?" Usagi looked at her with wide eyes.  
  
"Ohhh..." Minako giggled. "The good stuff."  
  
"Hai hai!"  
  
"Well, you know I always wore my mask, for one. And I had my disguise compact, like you have your pen. I basically showed up out of nowhere and kicked their butts before they knew what was happening." Minako grinned. It hadn't always been that eaay, but she wasn't going to tell Usagi that.  
  
Usagi smiled, her respect for Minako growing. "Sugoi, Minako-chan! Tell me more!"  
  
"Hmm...what else do you want to know? You know I wore my V fuku, different from what I have now. And I had my trademark mask."  
  
"Hmm..." Usagi thought for a minute. "How did you find people breaking the law? Did you just wonder around town at night or something?"  
  
"Well, basically. I also sometimes carried a gun, just in case."  
  
"A gun?!" she screeched. Eyes turned to face the girls. Usagi sank in her booth, blushing. She raised an eyebrow at Minako.  
  
Minako slouched down. "Not so loud!" she whispered  
  
"Gomen... demo, where did you get it?"  
  
"Well, you know that I was a special officer with the police...so I had connections."  
  
The wheels turned in Usagi's head. "How did you get to be a special officer?"  
  
"Well, Katrina-oneesan worked with the police..."  
  
"Oh yeah, I think you mentioned that before." Usagi looked at her watch. "Ah! I forgot, I have to pick up steak for dinner! Mama's going to flip, it's already 5:15!"  
  
"Ne, before you go...what made you so curious about my past?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "Nothing in particular, I just realized that I knew nothing about your past. It makes me feel closer to you now that I do!" She smiled. "Ja ne, Minako-chan!" Before Minako could respond, Usagi was out the door.   
  
Minako blinked, watching her zoom out. Usagi was up to something, and she'd find out what!  
  
  
************  
  
"Rei-chan, that wasn't very nice, even for you," Ami told the Senshi of Fire.   
  
"Well, I didn't mean to make her cry!"  
  
Makoto huffed. "Well, you did! I've never seen her so upset by anything you've said."  
  
"It's done," Ami said. "The only thing Rei-chan can do is apologize. This is Usagi-chan we're talking about, she'll be in your room reading Manga in no time!"  
  
Rei nodded, agreeing. She was sick of being harped on by the other girls.  
  
"Konbanwa, minna!" Minako said, coming into Rei's room.  
  
"Konbanwa, Minako-chan," Makoto replied.   
  
"Where's Usagi-chan?" Ami asked. "I thought she was coming with you."  
  
"She had to go get steaks for her okaa for dinner."  
  
Makoto offered her a plate of cookies. "Did she say anything about coming over?"  
  
"Iie."  
  
"Is she still upset about what I said?" Rei asked.  
  
"She didn't seem to be," Minako said, biting into a cookie. "She just asked me questions about my past."  
  
"What kind of questions?" Ami wanted to know.  
  
"Well, just about what happened in England and the like."  
  
Makoto looked thoughtful. "I wonder why she wanted to know all that."  
  
"I'm not sure..." Minako shrugged.  
  
"Well seeing as none of us really know about what you did back then, it's only natural Usagi-chan was interested, ne?" Ami said.  
  
"Probably." Minako grabbed a few more cookies. "When did you make these, Mako-chan?"  
  
"This afternoon," she replied. "Are they good?"  
  
"Haaaai!" Minako nodded eagerly.  
  
"Minako, you're acquiring Usagi's eating habits," Rei said.  
  
Usagi opened the door to Rei's room just in time to hear the comment. She was breathing heavily from running. "Why, Rei-chan?" she asked.  
  
"Well, look at the amount of cookies she has in her hands..." Rei trailed off to see Minako's cheeks poofed out like a chipmunk's.She couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"Ish mot fuwwie," Minako mumbled around the cookies.  
  
Usagi hung her head dejectedly. "No, it's not."  
  
"Ne, Usagi-chan," Makoto spoke up, trying to cheer her friend up. "Want to come over tomorrow and help me make apple pie?"  
  
Ami sort of glowered at Rei. "I never said there was anything wrong with eating lik Usagi did..."  
  
"Not in so many words," Ami explained.  
  
"So I can't make observances anymore without being criticized for it?"  
  
Usagi got up from her seat next to Minako. "No, it's all right, Rei-chan. From now on, I'll just stay out of your way. I think I bring out the worst in you. Gomen ne..."  
  
"I didn't mean it like that," Rei explained.  
  
Instead of responding, Usagi looked at Rei with eyes full of pain. "Sayonara, Rei-chan."  
  
"Usagi, matte..."  
  
"Rei-chan, leave her alone," Ami said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Give her some time alone."  
  
Rei sighed. "Demo..." There wasn't much she could do, though, seeing how Usagi had already left. 


	3. 3

*************  
I'll Prove It  
Part 3  
By Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
*************  
  
Usagi walked dejectedly down the street. It was dark by the time she walked passed Crown's. "Rei-chan..." she whispered. "You're my best friend, my onee, but I can't be around you if I always cause you to be so mean. You'll always be in my heart."  
  
A noise brought Usagi out of her reverie. A burglar alarm! Running towards the noise, she found herself standing in front of Osa-P. She ran into an alley and shouted, "Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"  
  
Sailor Moon quietly entered through one of the windows. She saw three men stuffing jewlery into their pockets. Moon also noticed that Naru was lying unconscious on the floor. "I don't think those belong to you," she exclaimed.  
  
"Who are you?" The men whipped around.  
  
She leapt over to them. "I am the pretty suited soldier of love and justice! Sailor Moon! Tsukini kawatte oshiokyo!"  
  
"You're a little early for Halloween," one man scoffed.  
  
"Well, you're a bit..." she struggled to come up with something good. "...rude! How dare you knock out that young girl and steal from this store!"  
  
"Why don't you run on home now?" the third robber mocked. "We have no time to play with you."  
  
Usagi poofed her cheeks. "I didn't come here play games! I came her to ship you off to the police." She jumped and leapt at the closest man to her. "Sailor Kick!"  
  
The man tried to move, but was too late, and got knocked out."Who's next?" Sailor Moon asked in a fighting stance.  
  
The second man stepped forward. "I told you I didn't come here to play," he snarled, pulling out a gun.  
  
"And neither did, I told you! Moon Tiara Magic!" But for some reason, the tiara stopped in mid air and dropped to the ground. "Nani yo?"  
  
"Your little toys are useless." The man scowled at her, and pulled the trigger.  
  
Moon tried to dodge the bullet, but felt it graze her shoulder. She cried out from the sting. Ignoring it, she got up from the floor. "That hurt!" she exclaimed, pulling out her Moon rod from her space pocket. Instead of calling out her attack phrase, Sailor Moon threw it at the man with the gun. It clattered to the floor across the room. In one quick motion, Moon took the men out with two more 'Sailor Kicks'.  
  
"Sailor Moon?" Naru tried to sit up, finally regaining conciousness.  
  
Moon rushed over to her friend, helping her up. "Daijobu?"  
  
"Ha--hai."  
  
"Did you get a chance to call the police before they knocked you out?"  
  
"Hai." Naru nodded. "I hope they get here soon."  
  
As soon as Naru spoke up, sirens were heard as well as the squeal of tires. "Will you be all right if I leave?" Sailor Moon asked.  
  
"I guess...Arigatou, Sailor Moon!"  
  
"Ja ne!"  
  
**************  
  
"Mrrowr," Luna stretched in her sleep. Suddenly, she heard the door click, and she was no longer asleep. She stood up, silently padding into the hall to investigate  
  
Usagi tiptoed up the stairs and nearly had a heart attack when she saw Luna in the darkened hallway. "Luna!" she cried in a hushed voice.  
  
"Usagi-chan? What were you doing out so late?"  
  
With a wave of her hand, the young girl went into her bedroom, shut the door and turned on the light. She began looking through her drawers for her pajamas. Usagi changed, wincing as she stretched her arm. *I'm going to have to put something on that.*  
  
Luna opened the door. "Usagi, your shoulder is bleeding!"  
  
"I know, I cut it earlier today," she replied, nonchalantly.  
  
"How?"  
  
Usagi yawned and laid down on her bed. She pulled the covers over herself. "Luna, you ask too many questions and I'm tired. Oyasumi..."  
  
Luna jumped onto the pillow beside her. "I know you're up to something."  
  
But Usagi didn't answer, she had drifted off to sleep.  
  
**************  
  
Usagi sat down at her and Mamoru's favorite bench. It was rather warm out and she was sweating a bit because she was wearing a long sleeve shirt to hide the bandage on her shoulder. Usagi was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Mamoru approach her.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, hugging her tight. "Ohayou, Odango."  
Usagi's eyes watered with tears of pain and she let out a soft cry."Usako?"  
  
"I'm all right," she lied. "Just a bit sore from my fall yesterday."  
  
"Oh..." he laughed. "You're such a klutz. What did you do this time?"  
  
"I was running to meet minna at the temple and I tripped over a dog." *Kami, I hope he buys that one!*  
  
"You tripped...over a dog..." Mamoru looked at her for a second, then dissolved into a fit of hysterics. "I hope you didn't flatten the poor thing," he chortled.  
  
Usagi giggled. "No, he's all right."  
  
"What kind of dog was it?"  
  
"Uh..." Usagi had no idea what kind of dogs were small or tall. *Kuso!* "A german shepherd!"   
  
"A German Shepherd? How did you miss seeing one of those?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "Well, when you're late to a Senshi meeting and you don't wanna be fried by a certain Senshi of Mars, you don't pay much attention to whats around you. You just run."  
  
"Ohhh..." Mamoru nodded. "How badly did you hurt yourself?"  
  
"Just a cut and bruise. I landed on some glass that was on the ground." Usagi nearly smacked herself. What was she getting into?  
  
"Honto?" Mamoru looked at her closely.  
  
"Un," she replied with a nod.  
  
"Are you sure?" Mamoru had a feeling she was lying about something. "You know you can tell me anything, Usako."  
  
Usagi decided to change the subject. "Ne, did you hear about that girl on the news?"  
  
"What girl?"  
  
"That one who's been fighting crime like Minako-chan did in England," she explained. Usagi laughed. "They say it's Sailor Moon."  
  
"Have you been running around on your own?"  
  
"Me??"  
  
"Usako...you'd tell me, ne?"  
  
Usagi looked away from Mamoru. "You really think I'm going around beating up bad guys?"  
  
"Well...if you are, just promise me you'll stay safe."  
  
She didn't reply because Rei came up to them. "Ohayou Usagi, Mamoru-san."  
  
Usagi nodded at Rei. She didn't know what to say after her outburst the day before.  
  
"Are you two on a daaate?" Rei teased.  
  
"Not now, Hino-san," Usagi replied.  
  
Rei blinked. "Hino-san?"  
  
"Did something happen between you two again?" Mamoru sighed.  
  
Usagi stood up, not facing either of the two. "I'm going home. Hino-san, gomen ne... Ja ne, Mamo-chan."  
  
"Matte, Usagi!" Rei grabbed her shoulder. "Are you mad at me?"  
  
"Itai!" she cried.  
  
"What's wrong with your shoulder?"  
  
"Nothing, I'm all right, now let go."  
  
Rei let go, but noticed the blood seeping through the shirt. "You're bleeding, Usagi. Badly."  
  
"Well," she said, looking at Rei crossly. "I wouldn't be if you hadn't squeezed my shoulder so tightly!"  
  
"Well, maybe if you had told me you were hurt there, I wouldn'tve grabbed you."  
  
"It hadn't come up, I don't have to tell you everything, Miss High and Mighty!"  
  
Mamoru just shook his head, letting them go at it.  
  
"Well, maybe I'm worried about you! But if you're going to be such a brat, then go on your way and pretend nothing's wrong!"  
  
Usagi sighed and hung her head. "I told you, Rei-chan..."  
  
"Told me what?"  
  
"I bring out the worst in you." She turned away to head home.  
  
"I never said that!"  
  
Usagi looked over her shoulder, eyes full of sadness. "Maybe not in so many words. And maybe one day, I'll be able to let you shine..."  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Usako, matte!" Mamoru ran after her.  
  
She was halfway through the park when Mamoru called out to her. "Hai?" Tears were falling from her once bright eyes.  
  
"Usako, what's wrong?"  
  
"I know why Rei-chan picks on me all the time. Why she always seems angry."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
Usagi took a deep breath. "I told her earlier, didn't you hear me?" She repeated herself. "I bring out the worst in her... I probably do that to everyone."  
  
"Iie, that's not true!"  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"Because I know how wonderful you are."  
  
She had to laugh at that one. "Yeah, wonderful," she responded with sarcasm. "I'm so wonderful that Rei-chan has yell at me for being late. Ami-chan has to yell at me to get me to study." Usagi's voice cracked. "My parents... my parents sometimes fight about how I act."  
  
"They blame each other because I'm not smart enough in school and I'm lazy. Basically, I'm not who I should be in their eyes."  
  
She looked at the ground. "I don't know who I am anymore."  
  
"Oh, Usako..." Mamoru hugged her, careful to not injure her shoulder further.  
Ami says:  
Usagi cried into Mamoru's chest. She felt so warm and safe in his arms. "Aishiteru, Mamo-chan."  
  
"I'm sure things will work out for you, Usako. I don't know what goes on with you and Rei, but you two are still the best of friends, no matter what."  
  
"I--" She was cut off by the sound of gunfire. "Nani yo?"  
Ami says: 


	4. 4

**************  
I'll Prove It  
Part 4  
By Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
**************  
  
"Nani yo? Mamo-chan, lets go check it out!"  
  
"Usako, it's too dangerous." She shrugged and ran in the direction of the gunfire.  
  
"Usako!"  
  
Usagi ignored him and kept running. Finally, she saw a group of men firing at police officers. She ducked into an alley. *I seem to always henshin in alleys...*  
  
"Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"  
  
The Senshi of the Moon stood on top of a mini van, arms crossed. An idea suddenly came to her. "Moon Tiara Action!"   
  
The tiara flew towards the men, knocking the guns from their hands. "Tiara Trap!" Following the commands of Sailor Moon, the tiara trapped all five of the men.  
  
"Dare desu ka?"  
  
She jumped down from the van, striking her pose. "My name is Sailor Moon."  
  
"Sailor Moon, how can we ever thank you? Those men were from a dangerous gang!"  
  
"No need to, Sir," Moon replied with the wave of her hand. "I'm just happy to be able to help!"  
  
"Where are you from?" another officer asked. "Why'd you do that?"  
  
"I fight for love and justice! I will punish the wrong doers in the name of the Moon!" The Senshi leapt off before anyone could reply.   
  
**  
  
Mamoru had just arrived at the police scene in time to see someone jump away. He followed the figure as they ran along the rooftops. Finally, they jumped down, and he was waiting.  
  
Moon came to a stop when she saw who was standing in front of her. "Usako...why didn't you tell me?"  
  
She looked at the ground. "Because... because I didn't want you to worry about me. No one would let me go through with this if I told them."  
  
"Let you go through with what? Playing cops and robbers? The others don't know you're doing this, do they?"  
  
"I'm not playing games, Mamo-chan!" Usagi was upset by his condesending tone. "And, no, they don't know! They're never going to know! I'll just hear Rei-chan telling me over and over how things should be done and how I shouldn't even be doing this cause 'I'm too much of a klutz.' This is just me, no one else! Do you know how much it hurts to overhear them talking about replacing me as leader of the Senshi?"  
  
"They didn't say that, did they?"  
  
"Not to my face," she replied sadly.  
  
"Is that why you're chasing criminals?"  
  
She crossed her arms. "That's not the only reason I'm doing this! I'm a Senshi of love and justice, I have to protect the people of Tokyo!"  
  
Mamoru watched her as she said this, looking her up and down. He had never seen her so serious before. "Well...just promise me you'll be careful, and let me help you in some way."  
  
"I will, Mamo-chan!" Usagi dehenshined and took Mamoru's hand. She didn't notice that her shoulder was still bleeding.  
  
He paused for a minute, thinking. "Your shoulder...you got shot, didn't you?"  
  
"I didn't get shot... well, not fully."  
  
"Nani yo?"  
  
She waved it off. "It only grazed my shoulder. I'm fine."  
  
"Usako...I'm coming with you next time."  
  
"You don't need to, Mamo-chan!" Usagi said. "See, that's exactly what I wanted to avoid! No one thinks I can do anything on my own!"  
  
"It's because we care about you. And I don't want you to get hurt...or worse..."  
  
Usagi only looked at him. She knew he wouldn't change his mind. "Fine, you can come with me next time."  
  
"Good." Mamoru nodded. What he didn't know was that Usagi had no intention of ever letting him help.  
  
Sailor Moon leapt from building to building, scanning the city for any signs of mischief. When she was about to call it a night, she heard a girl's voice cry out in fear.  
  
She headed in the direction of the cry. Peering around the corner, she saw two men, one with a knife, going after a young girl. "Stop right there!"  
  
"Look, fresh meat," the one man growled.  
  
"It's a two for one tonight."  
  
"Ecchi!" Moon exclaimed. "Now step away from her!"  
  
"What are you going to do to us if we don't?"  
  
"I fight for love and justice! Tsukini kawatte oshikoyo!" The men were eyeing the Senshi so closely that they didn't realize the other girl had disappeared.  
  
"You know, wearing that short of a skirt is like a free pass for us."  
  
Sailor Moon gulped and inched back a step. She fumbled for her tiara, but since the girl was shaking so much, it fell from her hands. "What's the matter, onna?"  
  
"Are we scary?" The men sneered at her.  
  
"Scary? You?" Moon gasped out. "Of course not! I've seen scarier creatures than you!" *Can you sound a bit less nervous!* she chided herself.  
  
One of the men noticed that the other girl had escaped. "Now look what you did," he growled at her. "You let our other toy run away.So now you have to pay."  
  
She tried to leap away, but one of them grabbed her arm." "I don't think so." He brandished a knife. 


	5. 5

************  
I'll Prove It  
Part 5   
By Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
************  
  
  
"Let me go!" Sailor Moon cried, mentally calling Mamoru.  
  
"Aren't you going to play nice?" Instead of answering the man, the Senshi swung her fist at his head.  
  
The man grabbed her fist before she could do any damage. "So you won't play nice. I guess I'll have to make you, then." He pressed his knife to her belly. "If you don't want to be gutted like a fish, I suggest you co-operate."  
  
"I..." She couldn't speak because she was so frightened.  
  
Sailor Moon squirmed with the man's grasp. She was moments between life and death. She looked into his eyes but only saw hatred and lust.  
  
"Let's see what's under that lil costume of yours," he smirked, dragging the knife along her stomach, tearing her fuku and also causing a red line to appear.  
  
"Iie..." she whispered, wincing at the sting of the knife.  
  
"If you want to retain your manly pride and joy, I suggest you back off now!" a girl commanded.  
  
"Nani? Who's there?" the other man exclaimed. His friend still held tightly to the blonde.  
  
"I am the original Senshi of Love and Justice, Sailor V! Venus Love Me Chain!" She yanked the knife away before the man could hurt Usagi further.  
  
"You bitch!" he exclaimed, throwing Usagi to the ground, and charging at Minako.   
  
Usagi grabbed the other man and swung him over her shoulder, effectively knocking him unconscious.  
  
Minako knocked Usagi's attacker out with a kick, and used her chain to tie up the two men, and wrapped it extra tightly. "Sailor Moon, daijobu?"  
  
"I... I think so," Usag replied, still shaking a bit. She held a gloved hand over the cut on her stomach. "How did you know?"  
  
"Well, you were asking me all those questions about what happened in England..."  
  
"Oh." She had nearly forgotten about that. "Arigatou then. You won't tell minna, will you?"  
  
"Umm..."  
  
Usagi grabbed Minako's hand. "Promise me!"  
  
"Well...it's not fun to be alone. I should know..."  
  
"Domo!" Usagi leapt away. "Oyasumi, Minako-chan!"  
  
Minako brushed her hair back from her face. Usagi was getting in over her head...She noticed something wet on her glove. It was blood! Usagi had gotten hurt by a couple of weak thugs.  
  
Usagi sat on her bed attempting to bandage the cut. It wasn't as bad as she thought, but it still hurt like hell. She made certain to put on some disinfectant. Hissing from the slight burn, Usagi didn't notice Luna coming up to her.  
  
"You went out again tonight by yourself."  
  
Usagi jumped five feet into the air. "Kami, Luna!" she screeched.   
  
"You know that you shouldn't do it, Usagi...so why do you?"  
  
"You just don't understand, Luna." Usagi put the finishing touches on her bandage, turned off the light and crawled into bed. Her Guardian, however, wasn't finished.  
  
"You've went out. Twice. You've gotten hurt. Twice. What does that tell you?"  
  
Usagi sat up, knowing exactly where Luna was going with this. She was going to protest, but sadly realized that she was right. She shouldn't be a Senshi...  
  
With a sigh, Usagi handed Luna her henshin brooch. "Give this to Rei-chan, I'm sure she'll be able to watch over it better than me. I'll probably lose it being the ditz that I am."   
  
"Usagi...you don't want to give up being a Senshi, do you?"  
  
Voice full of sleep, she responded, "I don't want to, but if minna thinks I can't cut it, then I probably can't. Sayonara, Sailor Moon..."  
  
"Iie, Usagi!" Luna swatted her in the face.  
  
"You're going to tell me what this is all about!"  
  
"Luna, leave me alone. You don't have to guide me anymore. No offense, but it didn't seem to do any good. I'm still the crybaby I've always been."  
  
"That's just the way you are, Usagi. You can't be anyone but yourself. Is that why you're fighting all these random creeps? To prove you're not weak?"  
  
Usagi shrugged. "That may have been my reason from the start, but now I realize how much I can help people if I try my hardest. Out of the 10 times I've been out, I only got hurt twice!"   
  
Luna's eyes narrowed. "Ten times? I thought it was only two." She jumped onto Usagi's stomach, hoping to intimidate her.  
  
"Itai!" Usagi exclaimed, knocking Luna off her.  
  
"Nani?" Luna's eyes widened. "Gomen, Usagi-chan!"  
  
"It's all right, Luna," she replied. "Now leave me alone so I can get some sleep."  
  
Just then there was a knock on the door."Hai?" Usagi said.  
  
"Usagi, what are you doing up so late? It's 2:45 AM," her mother said.  
  
"I had a bad dream..." she lied.  
  
"Oh. Do you need anything?"  
  
"Iie, arigatou, Mama."  
  
"Okay. Oyasumi nasai."  
  
"Oyasumi nasai." 


	6. 6

**************  
I'll Prove It  
Part 6   
By Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
**************  
  
"Moshi moshi! Minako desu."  
  
"Ohayou, Minako-chan. It's Mamoru."  
  
"Ohayou. What's happening?"  
  
"Could you meet me at Crown's in about an hour? I need to talk to you about Usako."  
  
"Hai, I'll be there."  
  
**  
  
Minako paced outside of Crown's waiting for Mamoru to show up. "Finally!" she exclaimed when she saw him crossing the street.  
  
"Gomen!" Mamoru said. "I didn't mean to be late, there was a huge group of American tourists gaping at Hikawa Shrine and I couldn't get by."   
  
"It's alright." Minako nodded. "You want to go in?"  
  
Mamoru nodded and held the door open for her. He then led her to one of the booths. "Want anything?" he asked.  
  
"Hmm..." Minako pondered for a second. "A double chees pizza sounds good."  
  
After ordering, Mamoru looked back at Minako. "Any idea what caused this sudden spurt of "Save-the-city-from-everyday-crime-like-Batman-Usagi"?  
  
Minako blinked. "So...you know about her going out at night?"  
  
"Yeah, I caught her catching some gang members."  
  
"I know she doesn't want me to tell the other Senshi...demo I'm worried that she's gonna get badly hurt."  
  
"I agree," Mamoru said. "but somehow last night, I couldn't figure out where she was. It was like she was preventing me from knowing."  
  
Mamoru thought a bit more. "She said a bullet grazed her shoulder... I wonder how many other times she's gotten hurt?"  
  
"Well...she nearly got sliced open from tip to toe last night..."  
  
"Nani yo?!" he exclaimed.   
  
"She was up against a couple of thugs. One had a knife, and I got there just in time." Minako looked down. "She shouldn't be doing this."  
  
"I know." Mamoru looked at the pizza that was just set on the table. He didn't feel very hungry anymore. "But how can we convince her? Everytime someone even hints to her that she shouldn't, she gets overly defensive and upset."  
  
"I think she thinks we don't want her to be leader. But that's not true!"  
  
Mamoru felt something soft on his leg. Looking under the table, he saw Luna. She hopped onto the seat, putting two paws up on the table. "We have a problem."  
  
"Nani, Luna?" Minako was worried.  
  
"Usagi-chan turned in her brooch."  
  
"Why?" Mamoru asked.  
  
"She doesn't think she's worthy of being a Senshi." Luna sighed. "She doesn't think we believe she's worthy."  
  
"Well, we're gonna have to convince her somehow that we need her." Minako nodded, determined.  
  
"But how?" Mamoru wondered. "How can we do that without making her feel any less of herself?"  
  
Luna shook her head. That was the million yen question.  
  
"Maybe we can be in trouble," Minako said slowly. "And then Usagi will have to be the one to save us."  
  
"What are you saying, Minako-chan?" Luna asked. "When the next youma attacks, you guys are going to willingly let it hurt you?"  
  
"Haaaai...something like that."  
  
Mamoru nodded. "I guess it's worth a shot. I guess we'll have to betray her trust and tell everyone what she's doing, ne?"  
  
"Hai...but as long as she doesn't find out, there'll be no problem."  
  
As luck would have it, a youma attacked later that night. Minako and Mamoru were able to inform Makoto and Rei about their plan. Needless to say, they were surprised, but agreed to it.   
  
"Mars, watch out!" Sailor Moon watched as the Senshi of Fire was backhanded by the youma.   
  
Rei paged Luna on the communicator, telling her about the youma. Luna nodded, hoping their plan would work.  
  
Jupiter eyed the youma with distaste. It was rather ugly looking. Shrugging it off, she called for the powers of her planet. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!"  
  
"We gotta let it rough us up a little," Mars reminded her.  
  
"Gomen, I got carried away..."  
  
Mercury stepped up to the youma. "I guess we should taunt it?"   
  
"Let's go!" Jupiter exclaimed. "Hey, youma! Yeah, you ugly thing with the horn on it's head!" Jupiter stood still as the creature angrily backhanded her across the face. She swore under her breath as she felt her nose break.  
  
"Jupiter, daijoubou?" Venus asked.  
  
"I've been better..." came her weak reply. She sat up, holding a glove to her nose, which was bleeding.  
  
"Aiee." Minako inhaled, then decided to use her V kick on the creature.  
  
The youma moved out of the way before Minako could land the blow, and it knocked her to the ground. "Itaiiii!"  
  
Mercury ran over to her. "Daijobu? She turned to Luna. Hurry and find Usagi-chan!"  
  
**  
  
Luna found Usagi reading manga on her bed. "Remember this?" she asked, dropping the brooch into Usagi's lap.  
  
Usagi rolled her eyes. "What about it?"  
  
"You need it. The others need you."  
  
"Yeah right!" Usagi laughed. "What would they need with a klutz?"  
  
"Well, say there's a strong youma they can't defeat on their own...and they're right now being beaten in Shiruiken Park."  
  
Usagi gasped at that. She was about to get up when she eyed Luna. "For all I know, you're making this up."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Anything to get me out there and fighting again."  
  
"Well, do you think I'd ask you if you weren't needed?"  
  
Finally, she gave in. This was Luna talking to her. She wouldn't lie. Nodding, she shouted, "Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"  
  
Sailor Moon turned to face her guardian. "Don't stand there with that look on your face. This is the last time Sailor Moon will ever be seen." With that, she climbed out of her window and headed to Shiruiken Park.  
  
"Kami-sama..." Moon had arrived on the scene to see Jupiter with a bloodied, odd-angled nose, Venus standing precariously next to her. She seemed to be favoring her wrist. Mercury and Mars were trying desparately to tire out the youma.  
  
"Sailor Moon!" Mars cried.  
  
"Sorry I'm late, minna!" She looked at Venus and Jupiter. "Daijobu?"  
  
"I'll live." Venus said wryly.  
  
"Same here."  
  
Nodding, she turned to the youma. It was absolutely disgusting. "Damn you, youma! You hurt my friends and for that, I will punish you in the name of the moon!"  
  
The youma roared, and charged at her.Sailor Moon winced in pain as the youma punched her stomach. She vaguely heard Mars cry out an attack, which cause the creature to screech and jump out of the way.   
  
She was able to stand up and call for her sceptor. "Moon Princess Halation!" Thankfully, the youma disintegrated.  
  
"Great job, Sailor Moon!" Jupiter exclaimed.  
  
Mercury walked over to her. "Hai, you were fantastic!"  
  
Mercury noticed that her face was contorted in pain. Sailor Moon was holding her stomach. "Daijobu?"   
  
"How badly were you cut?" Minako asked.  
  
"It wasn't deep, but I think he may have opened the wound."  
  
"Nani yo?" Jupiter, Mercury, and Mars were confused.   
  
With a sigh, she looked at Venus, who nodded. Sailor Moon then explained to them what she'd been doing on her own for a while.  
  
After she was finished, Mars asked "why, Usagi-chan?"  
  
"Because people need to be protected from evil other than youmas," she replied.  
  
"But, Usagi-chan, on your own?" Jupiter said.  
  
Tears formed in her eyes. "That's why! You guys don't think I can handle anything on my own!"  
  
"Well, do you have to get yourself nearly killed to prove it to us?" Minako was upset. "I've been there and done that. It's not fun!"  
  
"Hey, it's not like I got hurt EVERY time I went out!" she protested.  
  
"Usagi-chan, that's not the point," Ami said. "The point is, you could have been seriously injured. Especially with the two men you dealt with last night!"  
  
"Demo, you're putting yourself at risk!"  
  
Usagi sighed. "Don't you think I realized that when I started this, Rei-chan??"  
  
"Usagi-chan, we don't want you to get hurt!" Minako interjected. "If I hadn't gotten there in time the other night..."  
  
Usagi was getting slightly fed up with this. She knows what could have happened. She's risking her life for her world, that's what she was reborn to do. So why was everyone making such a big deal out of it. Usagi stood up, eyeing each of the Senshi. "I am going to continue this whether you all like or not. If you want to join me, I'll gladly accept any help. But don't ever make me feel any less than I do! I get enough of that from my parents!" With that, Usagi took off for home.  
  
The girls were dumbfounded. "Minna?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Hai, Mako-chan?"  
  
"Get ready to fight the scum of the night and I'm not talking just about youmas!"  
  
Everyone nodded. "Hai!" 


	7. 7

*************  
I'll Prove It  
Part 7  
By Usa and Emiri  
Disclaimers in Part 1  
*************  
  
Sailor Moon peered into the pizza parlor. There was a man, holding up the cashier, screaming for all the money in the drawer. She noticed something in his hand and assumed it was a gun.  
  
Forgoing her speech, Moon leapt up to him, and kicked the gun from his hands. There was a loud sound and Sailor Moon looked down at herself to see red soaking through her fuku. *Kami-sama... I've been shot. Demo, I don't feel it! I must be in shock!*  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"  
  
**  
  
At this time, Venus and Jupiter were walking by the pizza shop, on the lookout for baddies.  
  
"What the hell do you think I'm doing?" Moon shouted at the man. "Stopping you from robbing this pizza parlor! Tsukini kawatte, oshiokyo!"  
  
"Robbing it? You baka, I was buying my supper!" The man flicked her in the forehead, and she fell over.  
  
The Senshi remained on the floor. She couldn't not believe what just happened. "Well, at least none of my friends were around to witness this..."  
  
Just as she said that, Venus and Jupiter burst in the door. "We won't forgive you for shooting our friend!"  
  
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"  
  
"Minna..." Moon started, but she was ignored.  
  
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"  
  
"We'll send you to the depths of Hell for this!" Venus, enraged, launched a flying kick, knocking the man out.  
  
She stood up. "Jupiter, Venus! Matte yo!" Sailor Moon ran in front of the man, pizza sauce drying. "Ano, he wasn't trying to rob the pizza place and he didn't shoot me, it's spaghetti sauce."  
  
"Nani yo?" They sweatdropped.  
  
"You're alive!" Venus hugged Moon, getting pizza sauce on her fuku. "We thought..."  
  
"Iie, I'm fine, in one piece!"  
  
Suddenly, the store owner ran out into the dining room. "You three had better get out of here or I'm gonna call the police!"  
  
The Senshi sweat dropped, bowed, and whispered a quick, "Sumimasen." Then they were out the door.  
  
Once they were a safe distance, they de-henshined.  
  
"Hehe... Gomen..." Usagi said with a laugh.  
  
"Usagi-chan..." Minako shook her head, and started giggling.  
  
"Baka!" Makoto smacked Usagi upside the head. She wasn't angry though, she laughed with them.  
  
"So, where to from here?" Minako asked when she had stopped laughing.  
  
"Home!" Usagi exclaimed dramatically. "I need to catch up on my beauty sleep!"  
  
"Lead the way, Usagi-chan!"  
  
"No more saving people from the evils of pizza?" Makoto joked.  
  
"Iie..." Usagi looked up at the moon. "If okaa-sama wanted it that way, I think she would have had us trained for it, don't you? It seems that every day common thieves are scarier than 20 youma."  
  
"So that means no more Superman acts?"  
  
Usagi shook her head. "No more. Come on, lets go home!" 


End file.
